Cameroon History and Culture – Cameroon was formed in 1961 from the former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon. The Cameroon culture is one of a proud people with much to offer. There are numerous museums, relics and national monuments all throughout the country displaying the various cultures that have made their mark on the country. Crafts are important and Cameroon locals are especially well known for their wood carvings and artifacts, many of which have been around for centuries while many locals still practice this art today.
Cameroon travel guide starts from the capital city of Yaoundé straddles seven hills and is home to most of Cameroon’s national monuments, as well as several museums. Attractions include the Benedictine Monastery’s Museum of Mont-Fébé, also known as the Musee d’Art Cameroonais, which houses a collection of traditional arts and crafts, and the newer National Museum of Yaoundé.
At Foumban there are many traditional buildings dating from Cameroon’s period of German colonization, but the major attraction is the Palais Royal. This is where the sultan who is the ruler of the Bamoun dynasty resides. It has a historic cultural past that dates back to the late 1900s. This palace boasts medieval style architecture, and houses a Sultan’s museum. This museum is a good place to see ancient jewelry, traditional royal gowns, musical instruments, statues and thrones that have been in the country’s possession for decades. Foumban is also Cameroon’s center for arts and crafts. Bafut Fon’s Palace includes a craft center. The Musée du Palais and the Musée des Arts et des Traditions Bamoun and the market are well worth visiting.
There is an annual Cameroon National Festival, which is the country’s biggest non-religious festival with parades and lively celebration. The Nso Cultural Week happens in November and horses are raced through the streets of Kumbo in western Cameroon. There is also an Arts & Crafts Museum there. In the southeast region you can learn about the traditional medicine, hunting methods, and dances of the Baka pygmies first-hand in a week-long expedition.
The northern area of Cameroon is home to some of the country’s largest museums and crafts markets. Bafoussam is one of the most popular place to find crafts in the country. Here, woodcarving has been practice by the locals for centuries with many of the region’s best artifacts shown in these wooden pieces. The city of Maroua is also well known for its large markets where colorful local crafts are on display. Bamenda is the provincial capital of Cameroon’s North West Province and is a popular area for hiking and boasts some incredible art as well. The rolling countryside around Bamenda is known as the Ring Road.
In the far north the village of Rhumsiki is a popular place to visit. The small farms known as the Kapsiki are linked by a maze of paths and the mountain scenery is beautiful. The Kirdi people live here and their customs and folklore, including crab sorcery, have remained the same for centuries.
On the coast, the small picturesque town of Limbe is located on the Gulf of Guinee and has beautiful white sandy beaches. The town’s traditional markets and interesting bars and shops make it worth exploring and there is a port with a botanical garden and ‘jungle village’. Another popular beach is Londji Beach in Kribi.
Cameroon Wildlife and Nature – Cameroon’s nickname of “Africa in miniature” hints at the amazing amount of nature and wildlife that can be found in the country. This is because Cameroon consists not only of savannahs and deserts, but also rainforests, beaches and grasslands. The country contains excellent wildlife parks, National Parks and nature reserves.
The Korup National Park is regarded as Africa’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest with a wide variety of primates, birds, plant life, including dozens of species that have only been discovered recently. Dja Faunal Reserve, bordered by the Dja River, is one of Africa’s biggest and best-protected rainforests known for its biodiversity and primates. In Lobeke National Park you can visit lowland gorillas as well as elephant, buffalo, giant forest hog, red river hog, yellow-backed duiker and bongo antelope. There are watchtowers where you can spend the night to view wildlife.
In the far north of the country there are black rhinoceroses, elan, buffalo, elephants and lions in Bouba Ndjidah National Park on the banks of Mayo Lidi River. Also in the north is the excellent Waza National Park where large herds of elephants gather at water holes in the dry season. There is abundant birdlife here including eagles, crested cranes, maribous, pelicans, ducks, geese and guinea fowl. Animals including elephants, giraffes, antelopes, hartebeest, lions, cheetahs and warthogs also roam the forest and a vast expanse of grassy and wet plains
The large Benoue National Park has buffalo, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, hyena, giraffes, while the small Kalamaloue Reserve has several species of antelopes, monkeys and warthogs, and some elephants cross the reserve. Buffalo, lions and elephants roam the virgin forests inland in the Campo Game Reserve region.
About one hour from the center of Yaoundé is the forested Mefou National Park which has a primate rehabilitation center with electrified enclosures housing Chimps, Gorillas, Baboons, and various species of monkeys. The primates are cared for by volunteers and this is a great place to visit.
The country’s riverbanks are also popular areas to see the natural beauty of the country. The main rivers in Cameroon are the Benue, Nyong, and Sanaga. These waters have rich estuaries that are home to prawns and many fish.
Cameroon Trekking and Mountain Climbing Because of the country’s diverse terrains and mountain areas there are many opportunities for trekking and mountain climbing in Cameroon. These activities offer a great adventure to visitors, and also allow them to see the beauty of the country’s natural surroundings. A popular mountaineering destination is Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in West Africa and Africa’s highest active volcano. The climb takes three to four days and you can use the colonial town of Bueau as a base for your climb.
The Mandara Mountains, located just west of the northern town of Maroua, is a popular trekking destination that also offers places to climb. The lovely villages with round huts and large stone monuments add a unique twist to the area. In Mindif, a park south of Maroua, there is a huge rock known as Le Dent de Mindif, which is highly regarded for rock climbing The northern region near Mora and the highland area around Bamenda in the southwest are also good areas for trekking. A variety of hiking trails can be found at Kribi and in Limbe Botanic Gardens.
Cameroon Scenery and Landscapes – The scenery and landscapes include beaches, rainforest, desert plains, mountains and a high plateau. The far north of the country is a semi-desert broadening into the vast Maroua Plain, with game reserves and mineral deposits. To the west this is bordered by the lush Mandara Mountains with isolated villages. The Benue River rises here and flows westwards into the Niger. The country to the northwest is very beautiful with volcanic peaks covered by bamboo forest rising to over 2,000m (6,500ft). There are waterfalls and villages scattered over the lower slopes. There are savannah uplands further to the south and west, while dense forest covers the east and south. The coastal strip is tropical and cultivated and the beaches have white sand. The road south to Nkongsamba and Douala passes through some magnificent scenery including
spectacular valleys and waterfalls.
While in Kribi you should not miss it´s beautiful surroundings. Be sure to visit the Lobé Waterfalls which is a waterfall that drops straight in the atlantic ocean. It´s not very difficult to get someone to follow you and show you the waterfalls. In fact,every taxidriver or kid that owns a motorbike will sound the horn and say “waterfalls?” It should me no more than 2000 CFA to get there.The waterfalls are on Unesco´s World Heritage List.
which is anglophone so most of the people speak english. It lays beetween Mount Cameroon and the ocean. Here you can eat fantastic seafood which you can buy from one of many good food stalls next to the fishing harbor or get it in the restaurants. A couple of kilometers north of Limbe you’ll find Batoké Fishing Village, and this is where one of the nicest beaches in Cameroon starts. The sand is black because of a big volcano eruption in 1999.
